Polycom: Brand overview
In 1990, Brian L. Hinman and Jeffrey Rodman, formerly of PictureTel Corp, founded Polycom with a vision to transform the telecommunications landscape. The company announced itself in 1992 with the SoundStation, a revolutionary speakerphone that quickly became a commercial success.
In the 1990s, Polycom expanded its business beyond speakerphones to include videoconferencing technologies and software for audio and visual collaboration. Significant technological advances include the 1998 release of the ViewStation videoconferencing system and the 2006 introduction of the ViaVideo indoor telepresence system.
Six years after its founding, in 1996, Polycom decided to go public. This move catalyzed the company’s growth to become a leader in conference call devices, video conferencing equipment, and various collaboration services.
In 2018, Polycom was acquired by Plantronics for $2 billion. The following year, the combined company, named Poly, adopted a new corporate identity. In 2022, HP Inc. announced plans to acquire Polycom for $1.7 billion to strengthen its suite of solutions for hybrid work environments.
Polycom has set new standards in the telecommunications industry with its innovative conferencing and video conferencing products, ultimately becoming a valuable acquisition for major companies such as Plantronics and HP Inc.
Meaning and History
1990 – 2012
2012 – 2019
The scale of Polycom’s business is well illustrated by its logo, which consists of three circles superimposed on top of each other. Due to their low opacity, the circles are slightly transparent and visible from any angle. The largest circle is red; next to it are two gray circles with a slight gradient toward darker shades. To the right of the center of the graphic element is the name of the company. The text is in thin lowercase font, except for the first letter, which is capitalized. The letters are not serifed, which gives them an even and smooth look.
The red circle catches the eye like a siren, evoking a desire to learn more. The transparent gray circles look like shadows or echoes, giving them some mystery. The lowercase letters give the company a calm and disposable look. The fact that they are smooth and even makes everything look clean and light.
Polycom color codes
Racing Red | Hex color: | #db0000 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 219 0 0 | |
CMYK: | 0 100 100 14 | |
Pantone: | PMS Bright RedC |
Cadet Gray | Hex color: | #98aec1 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 152 174 193 | |
CMYK: | 21 10 0 24 | |
Pantone: | PMS 550 C |
Black | Hex color: | #000000 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 0 0 0 | |
CMYK: | 0 0 0 100 | |
Pantone: | PMS Process Black C |